


Flames of Rebellion

by Dragon_Overlord_Yuu



Series: Tricky Twins AU [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akira and Yusuke are straight up not having a good time, Akira gets his own persona but I won't tell you what it is here, Alternate Universe - Twins, Amamiya Ren and Kurusu Akira Are Twins, Emotional Baggage, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Implied/Referenced Abuse, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Ren is "our" Joker, Reunions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:53:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26361463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragon_Overlord_Yuu/pseuds/Dragon_Overlord_Yuu
Summary: Whilst investigating Madarame's Palace, Ren unexpectedly finds himself reunited with his twin brother after four years of separation. But this Akira isn't the one he remembers. Bitter, distant, and at the mercy of their controlling mother. Out of a stubborn desire to reconnect, Ren takes it upon himself to rekindle Akira's rebellious spirit before it gets snuffed out for good.Between exposing Madarame's crimes and mending a broken relationship with his brother, Ren truly has his work cut out for him.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren & Kurusu Akira, Kitagawa Yusuke/Kurusu Akira, Kitagawa Yusuke/Persona 5 Protagonist
Series: Tricky Twins AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1915597
Comments: 9
Kudos: 62





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Holy fucking shit, it's not a Kamigami no Asobi fic :O
> 
> I know the twin AU has been done numerous times but none of them are...quite what I wanted, so I made my own. Honestly this whole thing is just an excuse so I can quench my unending thirst for Akeshu and Shukita lmao

Joker stared up at the opulent building in front of him, the blinding golden hues shining against the dark of the night like a beacon. It was so dazzling, Joker had to squint and he was sure his teammates were thinking the same. Crowds were gathered at the front with security guard Shadows keeping them at bay. Well, so much for just waltzing in through the front entrance. 

Joker didn’t know what to expect when they first decided to investigate the renowned artist Madarame. As soon as he learned just how tacky and flamboyant the man’s palace was, Joker decided he absolutely hated it. The fact that the Meta-nav picked up on his palace was damning evidence enough to the man’s crimes: stealing artworks off of his students and displaying them under his own name, forcing them to live under such horrific conditions...all of them were driven away in the end. All except one. 

But Mona insisted that they get concrete evidence first before jumping to conclusions, so Joker didn’t really have much of a choice. They were going to raid the palace either way. 

Joker signaled for his team to move, leaping on top of a parked truck in a single bound before hopping over the golden wall into the side courtyard. Now that he thinks about it, getting in was almost too easy. The amount of guards were pretty sparse and it wasn’t difficult sneaking past them by swiftly hopping over the garden installations. Joker supposes he can chalk it up to Madarame not knowing they were coming for him. It makes exploring more convenient, but there was no thrill without Shadows to tear into.

The thieves managed their way inside through an open skylight on the roof, climbing down a rope in classic phantom thief fashion. The interior of the exhibition hall was not as impressive as what was on the outside and honestly, Joker was thankful for that. Once they get this over with, he never wants to look at the color gold ever again.

The halls were eerily quiet, with dull concrete walls completely lined with hazy portraits. Joker supposes it was sort of symbolic in an amusing way. Putting on a flashy facade to hide the shallow, sorry excuse of a person you truly are.

They wandered the halls at their leisure, as there didn’t seem to be any Shadows in sight. Just...more portraits. For someone who was supposedly well-versed in many different art styles, one would think the collection in his palace would have some variety, as Panther pointed out.

“Wait a sec.” Skull pointed to one of them hung on the adjacent wall. The subject was certainly familiar, with the horrible bowl cut and glasses. “Ain’t that the guy we saw in Mementos? The one that was shit-talking Madarame.”

Mona approached the painting, his tiny little cat body straining to be able to see the plaque, “Natsuhiko Nakanohara…”

Skull raised an eyebrow, “Why is a painting of him here? And why is it only his name on the plaque?”

“Right...doesn’t art usually have the title of the piece and the artist’s name?” Panther asked.

Joker glanced around the room, gasping when another one caught his eyes, “Wait.”

He briskly walked across the other side of the room, stopping in front of a large painting of a familiar face.

“That’s...Kitagawa-kun?!” Panther gasps in her shock. 

Joker looks around the room again, the pieces in his head finally clicking together, “So all these portraits here...they’re all Madarame’s students.” 

“For real?! But it was only Yusuke when we went to his place before.”

“This must include former pupils as well. Only one remains now…” Mona muses, “Taking into account what that Nakanohara guy said earlier, things are getting clearer…”

At Mona’s insistence, they investigate the museum further. But Joker finds himself almost fearing what he might find in the deepest depths of the artist’s cognition. They exited the exhibition hall and came across a lobby area with a reception desk where they were able to obtain a map, but other than that, nothing else noteworthy. The next gallery was blocked off by metal shutters, so it left them no choice but to explore the room behind the reception desk. 

Mona’s eyes widened in awe, “Take a look at this…”

The thieves stared at the massive golden sculpture looming over them. Ugh, so much for Joker not wanting to see the color gold ever again…he’s reached the point of acceptance that he’s going to be bombarded with it during this infiltration. 

Anguishing human figures were being sucked against their will into a spiraling golden vortex, helpless to escape the peril they were in. Even if none of the thieves were familiar with art, they could not deny it exuded such a powerful aura, an air of complete and utter control.

Panther leans over to read the plaque accompanying the sculpture, “The Infinite Spring…? A conglomerate work of art that the great director Madarame created with his own funds. These individuals must offer their ideas to the director for the rest of their lives. Those who cannot do so have no worth living…!” Her face shifts to one of seething rage under the red mask as she reads aloud the last sentence, “Hey...this is about the plagiarism, isn’t it?”

“Then that means that he views his students as his property. He shouldn’t even qualify as an artist if that’s the case…stealing ideas from talented students in exchange for their livelihoods.” Mona said angrily, outraged by this new revelation. 

Joker felt his gut lurch just imagining what else Madarame could be doing away from the prying eyes of the public. What else could Yusuke be suffering at the hands of this man? “So those portraits in the other hall…” 

Mona nodded, “They're most likely Madarame’s cognition of his pupils. He views them as objects or his own works of art.” 

“Then why is Yusuke keeping quiet about this?! He has no reason to cover this up.”  
  
“Well, he did say he owes Madarame for taking him in.” Panther said.  
  
“But still!” Skull turns to Joker, “What do you think, Leader? What should we do.”

“Well, this is definitely something we can’t ignore...but I don’t want to be hasty in taking action just yet.”

Mona nodded in agreement, “We need to confirm these facts with Yusuke first.”

“Do you honestly think he’ll spill anything?” Skull asked, “That guy was practically kissing Madarame’s ass when we confronted him.”

“I mean, anyone would act like that when strangers show up to your house and accuse your caretaker of abuse.” Joker replied, “Plus abuse victims tend to hide what’s going on out of fear.” 

Panther thought for a moment, “Perhaps if I take up on his modeling offer, he might be more inclined to tell us the truth.”

Mona’s bewildered eyes go wide, “What? You’re really going to do that!?” 

“Just...you better come with me, okay? I’m too scared to go alone.” 

Joker nodded, “Understood.” 

“Alright, a famous, renowned artist...this one might be tougher than Kamoshida.” Skull said as a wide grin formed on his face, “This is our first real mission as phantom thieves. We’re gonna succeed no matter what!”

The other thieves nodded in agreement. Their work was done here for the time being. Now all that was left is to return to the real world to carry out their next course of action. If their speculations were correct, Madarame may very well be their next target.

Suddenly a shrill alarm sounded, echoing through the halls of the gallery. 

Distorted voices were ringing just outside the room, “Intruders! Don’t let them escape!” 

Skull panics, “Shit, are they onto us already?” 

The thieves ready their weapons, bracing themselves for a fight. But after a few tense moments, none of the guards seemed to be headed their way. They certainly heard rushed footsteps outside right past them. Did they not think to search here?

“Stop! Get away from me!” A distressed voice called out. 

That voice definitely didn’t come from someone that belonged here. 

The thieves rushed towards the source of the voices, out in the exhibition hall where they first entered. 

A boy about their age was cornered against a wall by Shadow security guards, his eyes showing an intense defiant gaze while his body was trembling in fear. The shadows stepped closer to him and in a panic, he grabbed one of the vases displayed and smashed it on a Shadow’s head, disorienting it enough for him to slip through and make a run for it. He doesn’t get far, though, as another Shadow immediately grabbed him and threw him back against the wall. 

While the Shadows were occupied with who they thought was the only trespasser. Joker soundlessly snuck up on them before leaping gracefully in the air, firmly planting his boots into one’s shoulders and tearing off its mask with a savage grin. “Show me your true form!” 

He jumps off just as the Shadows dissolve into black goo, landing in front of the boy in a protective stance.

“Stay back, we’ll handle this.” Joker told the boy in a soft assuring tone. 

His three teammates rushed to his side, “Alright, Joker. How do we deal with these clowns?” Skull asked, readying his battle stance in anticipation. 

Joker closely eyed the enemies in front of him and carefully mulled over his options. Three Shiisaa and one Shiki-Ouji. 

“Arsène!” Joker threw off his mask, summoning Arsène to his side in a flashy display of blue flames, “Maeiga!”

With a flap of his wings, Arsène bombarded the enemies with ominous dark red energy. The three Shiisaa were immediately downed, but the attack completely no-selled on the Shiki-Ouji. Joker didn’t concern himself with that though, as he trusted his teammates to pick up from there.

Panther immediately realized what Joker was trying to do and did not hesitate in making her move. “Carmen, Agilao!” She commanded, directing Carmen’s attack to the Shiki-Ouji. Thankfully lucked seemed to be with them as it managed to inflict a burn.

“Skull, use this.” Joker said as he tossed an Atom Match Skull’s way, knowing the physically oriented thief wouldn’t be able to put a scratch on the Shiki-Ouji.

“You got it!” Skull flashed a cocky smile at his leader before hurling the Atom Match towards the last enemy with a cry of “Yeet!”

The match explodes in a brilliant cloud of blue, bringing the Shiki-Ouji to its knees along with its comrades. Joker grins sadistically as he stared down his foes, as if hinting to them what was coming to them next.

“All out attack!” He commanded.

The others do not waste a second. All of them charged at the downed enemies, hacking and slashing at them with reckless abandon until they all dissipated in a cloud of dark smoke. 

Mona gets to work on healing any injuries they might’ve sustained, which wasn’t much. “Good work as always, Joker!” 

“Well fuck us, I guess.” Skull muttered bitterly.

“Guys, I think we have more pressing matters at hand…” Panther called out to them, turning her attention to the mysterious boy who had wandered into the Palace. 

“He's not a cognition, right? How the hell did he get in here?” Skull asked. He paused for a moment, eyeing the boy carefully, “Whoa, more importantly, why does he look exactly like Joker?” 

Panther squints her eyes for a moment before gasping in surprise at the resemblance, “Oh, you’re right! He’s like a carbon copy of him!”

The shaken boy was wearing a Kosei uniform, with dark unkempt hair and steely gray eyes with an intense gaze that was all too familiar to the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.

“What is going on here? Who are you people?” The boy asked, his eyes darting between the thieves. 

“Hey hey, calm down. We’re not here to hurt you.” Mona tried to assure the boy, but it seemed to alarm him even more. The boy jolted, pressing his back against the wall in an attempt to keep distance. The other thieves couldn’t blame him, though. Of course a talking anthropomorphic cat would be more shocking than three teenagers in cosplay fighting monsters.

Joker stepped towards the boy, his expression soft with nostalgia under his mask.

“Akira…” He addressed him, the name rolling off his tongue with such familiarity. He took off his mask, revealing a face identical to the boy before him. “It’s me.”

The boy’s silvery grey eyes widened in disbelief as he stared into a mirror image of himself.

“Ren?” 

Ren smiled, a rare joyful light gleaming in his eyes, “It’s been a while…”


	2. Chapter 2

“So you’re telling me...you have a twin brother.” Ryuji pinches the bridge of his nose as he tries to wrap his mind around this new information.

“Yep” Ren confirmed, nonchalantly sipping at his fruit tea. 

“And when were you going to tell us this?”

Ren shrugged indifferently, “When it comes up, I guess.”

They narrowly escaped Madarame’s Palace with Akira in tow. The boy was still shaken from the experience, so they ended up taking him to the diner in Shibuya to try and calm his nerves enough to explain the situation. But right now they were caught up in the revelation of Ren having an identical twin. 

“Anyway, this is my older brother, Akira Ama—”

“Kurusu.” Akira interrupted him, “Akira Kurusu.”

Ann cocks her head to the side curiously, “You’re twins, but you have different surnames?” 

“Mom’s new husband’s name. She had me change it legally.” Akira stated nonchalantly. 

“Oh yeah, I heard she got remarried. How are you liking your stepfather?” Ren asked, “Well, I suppose it’s _our_ stepfather.” 

“He’s...okay, I guess. He’s hardly ever home though.” 

They were getting nowhere with this conversation. The entire time they were here, they kept trying to make small talk with the older twin to get to know him better, only getting terse and bland answers in response. The Phantom Thieves sat in silence, stewing in the awkwardness not even the buzz of dinner rush could drown out.

“So what were you doing at Madarame’s atelier?” Ren asked.

Akira frowned, seeming to express irritation towards Ren, “That’s none of your business. Why don’t you tell me what _you_ were doing there? And what was that place anyway…?”

“It’s called a Palace. It’s a realm created from the physical manifestation of people’s twisted desires. The one you stumbled into belongs to Madarame.” Morgana answered. 

Akira stared blankly at Morgana who was poking his head out of Ren’s bag, his expression seemingly indifferent. “That cat….it talked.” He pointed out in dull surprise.

“I see you’re just as rude as your brother…” Morgana said, “For your information, I am not a cat!”

“We caught wind of some rumors regarding Madarame plagiarizing art from his students...as well as abuse.” Ren explains, “If they turn out to be true, then we as the Phantom Thieves must put a stop to it.” 

“The Phantom Thieves...like the ones from Shujin?” 

“Oh? So you’ve heard of us.” Ryuji asked.

“Just vaguely. A sleazy gym teacher suddenly confessed to sexually abusing female students and a few rumors that a group calling themselves the Phantom Thieves of Hearts were behind it.” Akira replied, “They’re pretty much regarded as an urban legend.” 

“Yep! That was us!” Ryuji grins proudly, “Well, now you know we are most definitely real and how we did it.” 

“Is it really a good idea to just tell him like this?” 

“Eh, why not? He’s been to the Metaverse and he’s Ren-Ren’s brother. Even if he wanted to snitch on us, he’d have no way to prove it.” 

“You’re right. And also I have no interest in ratting you out. It’s quite frankly none of my business.” Akira said, “Listen, I’m glad to see you again, really, but I have to go. I can’t be seen with you. Or even talk to you.”

“Why not?”

“Don’t think we don’t know about your criminal record. Mom doesn't want me associating with a delinquent, lest you be a bad influence on me.” 

“What the hell? Isn’t he her son too?”

“Not anymore. Not since she left you behind in Inaba.” Akira says rather coldly.

Ren feels a sting shoot right through his heart, he wasn’t sure if it was from the shock of such a statement or the hurt that came with it. This...was such a drastic change in four years. Ren and Akira were glued at the hip when they were younger. Akira was always so protective of Ren, who was much more shy and fragile back then. Akira was always praised as the better twin: smarter, polite, sociable. All the things Ren wasn’t.

But when he wasn't putting on that facade in the faces of adults, Akira was out causing mischief in their neighborhood together with Ren. 

Ren certainly looked up to his big brother, but at the same time, there was a lingering resentment for him that festered, eating away at him like a parasite. He sometimes thought to himself that maybe Akira was meant to be the only child and Ren was just an unexpected afterthought merely regulated to the shadows. Their mother did not make that favoritism subtle either. She fawned over Akira’s achievements while Ren was completely glossed over. It was at some point Ren stopped trying for approval and did what he wanted, embracing his true nature as a mischievous troublemaker. But all that did in the end was label him a problem child.

It was no wonder why she was so insistent on taking Akira that day.

“But she can’t demand that of you. You’re brothers!” Ann cried in outrage.

“No, it’s fine. That’s fair, actually…” Ren nonchalantly waved it off, “Don’t you think I’m at least happy to see you?”

Akira scowled in response, “No, you were happy to wait four years without a call or even a letter. Out of all things, I can’t believe it took a fucking probation for you to come all the way out here and find me.”

Oh…so that’s what this was about. 

“What are you talking about? I sent you letters months after you and Mom left and you never replied so I stopped trying.”

“Really? Because I waited for so long for one goddamn letter and didn’t see a damn thing.” Akira replied, gathering his belongings, “Whatever. I’m not having this discussion with you.”

He bid his brother one last goodbye as he stormed out of the diner. 

“Enjoy your life, Ren."

The thieves looked on in stunned silence. They were expecting a happy family reunion, not one full of bitterness and resentment. 

“Man, what a dick…” Ryuji muttered under his breath, “Was he always like this?” 

Ren shook his head, “No...I wondered what happened while I was gone.” 

* * *

Akira found himself back at Madarame’s atelier in the dead of night, the only thing illuminating him was the bright artificial lighting of his phone. 

AKIRA: “ _Sorry I’m late, I’m outside waiting._ ” 

Three little dots appeared on the screen for a moment before the reply came.

YUSUKE: “ _Coming_ ”

After a few moments, Akira could hear silent padding towards the door. The door slid open very slowly to avoid any creaking noises that could alert the other tenant in the house.

Yusuke emerged from the house, his eerily pale skin glowing against the moonlight.

“Hey.” Akira presents a bento box to Yusuke, noting the hunger in the artist’s tired gaze as he stares at it, “Will you be okay?” 

“Sensei’s asleep. I’ll be fine.” Yusuke whispered. 

“Let’s go to our usual place.”

Akira and Yusuke walked through the quiet neighborhood, swiftly in the shadows like a pair of stray cats. They both figured Madarame wouldn’t come looking for Yusuke in the dead of night, but the paranoia still nipped at their heels. They reached a tiny playground a few blocks away, the night atmosphere eerie and silent now that all the children were safe in their homes.

Akira shoved the bento into Yusuke’s arms as they took their usual seats on the swings, “Here, eat it quickly.”

Yusuke ravenously scarfed down the meal without hesitation. Normally, he’d be more restrained when he eats, probably complaining about how unsightly he would look devouring food like an animal that had been starved for too long. Knowing Madarame, he probably was. 

Akira gently took Yusuke by his delicate wrist, fearing that if he gripped any tighter, it would just snap. “No matter how much I try to feed you, it’s never enough, is it?” He laments.

“It’s more than enough, Akira.” Yusuke assured him, “Thank you for going through all this trouble for me.”

“Why won’t you leave, Yusuke?” Akira asked, absentmindedly rocking the swing on his heels, “You don’t deserve any of this...anything he’s doing to you.”

“I told you my answer before didn’t I?”

“He took you in, I know...but still, if he just took you in with the ulterior motive to steal your art and overwork you to the point of exhaustion, then that doesn’t mean shit.”

Yusuke gasps dramatically in mock offense, “Language! What would your mother think of such a foul mouth?”

“I see you still have it in you to be a smartass.” Akira snarks, “She’s not here. I don’t have to be her good little boy right now.”

“Well, I suppose with how rigid she is, I can see why such small acts of rebellion can be cathartic.” Yusuke laughs, which is rare for him these days. 

Akira sighed wistfully, his eyes gazing up at the expanse of navy blue above. “One of these days, I’ll leave this place, Yusuke, I swear it.” 

“Where will you go?” 

“Wherever the hell I want. You know I’m not the type of person to stay in one place.” Akira said, “I’m like a stray cat. I come and go whenever I please.” 

“Won’t you get lonely, though?” Yusuke asked. 

Akira giggled, “If that’s what you’re worried about, you should come with me. Just the two of us, on the road. You can paint whatever catches your eye to your heart’s content and there will be no one to take it away from you.” 

Yusuke smiled softly, “That sounds like a dream...and an impossible one at that.” His expression turns solemn, his eyes cast towards the ground.

Akira tentatively reached for Yusuke, gently resting a hand on his shoulder, “It’s only impossible if we decide it is.” 

They sit in silence for a few moments, just to bask in the cool night air on their skin and enjoy each other’s company. The silence was comforting, like for a while they could just close their eyes and stop existing for a while. Like they could forget what was waiting for them in their respective homes. If only they could freeze this moment in time and stay in it forever. But unfortunately, time isn’t so kind to them.

“Oh dear, it’s getting late.” The dim light of Yusuke’s phone illuminates his face. “You should probably get going. I don’t want to be the reason you get in trouble with your mother.” 

“Ah, I’m almost two hours past my curfew. She’s gonna yell at me either way.” 

“Again, thank you so much for the meal.” Yusuke said, as he returned the now empty bento box to Akira, “I’ll definitely find some way to repay you one of these days.” 

“Yusuke, I told you many times. You don’t owe me anything.” Akira assured him, “You’re my friend. I want to look out for you.” 

The two parted ways, after Yusuke insisted many times that he was fine walking home by himself. Akira made his way towards the station, absentmindedly digging his phone out of his pocket. He’d usually keep it on silent, knowing his mother’s tendency to blow up his phone if she didn’t know his exact location every second of the day.

He squinted at the screen, frowning as he read out the notifications: 15 missed calls and 32 new texts. Goddamn…

Akira quickly skimmed through the texts, starting from two hours ago and most of them a variation of:

MOM: “ _Akira, you should be home by now._ ” 

MOM: “ _Where are you, Akira!?_ ” 

MOM: “ _Akira, come home now!_ ”

MOM: “ _Akira, answer me_!” 

MOM: “ _There will be consequences_ ”

Akira looks up, alerted by the sound of a sleek black car approaching him. He groaned as the driver’s window rolled down. 

“Tanaka-san, I don’t need a ride home…” 

The kindly old driver smiled, “I know you don’t, but your mother will have my head if I don’t return with you.” 

“Alright, fine…” Akira let out a sigh of defeat as he got into the back seat. Tanaka was actually pretty nice and the last thing he’d want was to get him in trouble with his mother. 

He stared vacantly out the window as the cityscape of Tokyo passed him by. Neon lights danced in his vision as he took in the night life running rampant in the streets. He so badly wanted to join them, to wander the streets and experience for himself that the nightlife of Tokyo had to offer, like all the other teenagers his age. 

He could hear his mother chiding him already...“ _Why do you keep company with the likes of them? They’ll only drag you down to their level!_ ” 

“Ugh...just please shut up….” he muttered under his breath. 

* * *

A feeling of dread settled in his gut as they pulled up to the house. It was a spacious, minimalist abode, surrounded mostly by wide-open glass walls. A monument to his stepfather’s ego, he must say, as he apparently commissioned a renowned architect to design and construct it. 

The interior was empty and soulless, its wide-open rooms echoing with hollowness. Nothing like how a home should feel. To Akira, that place was a sterile glass cage.

A middle aged woman in a kimono rushed towards Akira in a panicked state as he entered the house, “Akira-kun, where have you been?” 

“Out. Don’t worry about it, Hisako-san.” Akira assured her with a smile, it was the least he could do for worrying her so much. 

Hisako pinched his cheek in a loving gesture, “Oh, I’m not worried about you, Boy. But your mother is in a state.” 

Akira sighed, “When is she not?” 

“She wants you to see her in the dining room.” Hisako informed him, “I asked her not to be so hard on you this time, Dearie.” 

“That hardly ever helps most of the time…” Akira replied, “I appreciate the gesture, Hisako-san.” 

Bidding the housekeeper a quick goodbye, Akira made his way to the dining room, purposefully dragging his feet as slowly as he could, trying to hold off the inevitable for as long as possible.

Akira’s mother was waiting at the dining table, dark hair perfectly curled at her neck and designer dress just as perfectly pressed. He looks at her sometimes and wonders...at what point did she stop being his mother? All he sees is a complete stranger wearing her face, determined to keep Akira locked away in this glass cage and mold him into her perfect little doll. 

“Mother.” He greeted her calmly, hopefully appealing to her good side will make the lecture go quicker. 

There was a long moment of silence and Akira knows she’s doing this on purpose. 

“Akira, when I send you a text message, I expect you to answer.”

“You can just say text...you don’t have to say message.” Akira answers blandly, his eyes not meeting her’s.

His mother’s lips formed a thin line. Strike number one. “And I need you to answer without the snark.”

“So? You wanted to talk?” 

“It’s two hours past your curfew. Explain this right now, Akira.” 

“Sorry, cram school ran long.” Akira says sheepishly, hoping that answer was enough to appease her, “I wanted to get in some extra studying and lost track of time. It won’t happen again.” 

“I know very well you weren’t at cram school.” She picks her phone off the table, her long manicured nails clacking against the case as she did so. After a few moments of searching, she presents him with a map she pulled up on her phone. 

Akira’s eyes widened at the three little red pins on the screen. One was at Kosei High, one at Madarame’s address, and one at the diner in Shibuya. 

Son of a—having remote access to all of his text logs weren’t enough!? She had to go and put a tracker on his phone too?

“Well?” 

“Yusuke asked to hang out after school. Said he needed some help on an assignment.” He lied once again, figuring his mother wouldn’t take it well if he told her about Ren. Even more so about this...Palace he ended up at. 

“Yusuke Kitagawa, right…?” She leans back in her seat, crossing her arms. Akira let out a subtle sigh of relief. She seemed to have bought the story. 

“I had allowed you to keep his company only because he was a pupil of Madarame. But if he proves to be a distraction to you, I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to cut ties with him.” 

Akira felt his blood run cold, refusing to believe he heard her correctly. Cut ties with Yusuke? His only friend? The only person he didn’t have to pretend around?

A certain numbness began to course through his body and the air in his lungs seemed to have been completely sucked out in an instant. His mind was beginning to fog, fear and anxiety taking the place of rational thoughts. 

He immediately directs his attention to the clock on the wall, watching the second hand tick by in an attempt to ground himself. Not here. He can’t. Not in front of his mother. 

“The only thing you should be focusing on is keeping your grades up and getting into a good university. You cannot let anyone or anything stand in your way.” His mother told him sternly, “Have you seen your mock exam results? You didn’t even make it into the top five. Sending you to that expensive cram school didn’t help at all!” 

“Mother, I一” 

“I don’t want to hear any of your excuses! This isn’t enough, study harder.” She cuts him off before he could even get a chance to defend himself, “Honestly, why do you think I invest so much money in these studies? Are you trying to end up like your brother?”

Akira found himself flinching at the mention of his brother. He feels a spark in his chest, one that he has long tried to bury. There was an urge in the back of his mind, telling him to jump to Ren’s defense like he used to.

In the end, he only answered with a sigh of defeat, having completely lost the will to argue with her further, “No, Mother…” 

With that, his mother dismissed him to his room. It seemed like whatever gods were up there were kind enough to answer his prayers. He wastes no time making his escape, moving across the living room towards the stairs with the swiftness and silence of a thief. He stops for a moment, glancing at the large painting that proudly hung above the fireplace. 

It was a simple impressionistic piece. Defined splotches in differing shades of blue and black created a backdrop of the night sky. Tiny white dots and streaks littered the whole piece, surrounding a pale crescent moon that reflected the lake below. Dark pointed shapes surrounded the bottom part of the canvas, resembling the looming mountains of Inaba.

His mother had purchased the painting from Madarame a few years ago, believing it was an original from the painter himself. She loved to use it as a conversation piece for any guests that had happened to come by, praising Madarame’s technique like she knew what she was talking about. It sickened Akira every time he was forced to listen. Unlike her, Akira could quickly point out the careful, gentle brushwork, the loving attention to detail, and the alluring sense of beauty it had that was so distinct. He’s seen similar elements many times before and none of those times were from Madarame. 

The painting hanging in their living room was Yusuke’s work. And he doubts Yusuke ever saw a single yen of that money. 

Akira remembers when Yusuke painted it too. One time Akira offhandedly expressed his desire to see the stars, as they were more often drowned out by the city lights of Tokyo and the planetarium in Ikebukuro could never pale in comparison. It was one of the few things he missed in Inaba, when he and Ren would stay up late when their parents thought they were asleep. They spent hours into the night gazing longingly at the twinkling lights in the sky, exchanging their wishes with each other in hushed voices. 

A few weeks later, Yusuke had proudly presented him with the finished piece, granting Akira’s wish in a sense. The next time Akira saw it was at a gallery showing, under Madarame’s name. And he had watched as his mother wrote the check for it and gave it to Madarame, his gut lurching in disgust the whole time. 

Akira was a bit relieved it still ended up with him in a sense, but as a shallow conversation piece. Not as Yusuke granting Akira’s wish...that was something more valuable than any amount of money could ever match. And that bastard went and put a price tag on it anyway. But Akira doesn’t say a word of it, for Yusuke’s sake.

With a bitter taste in his mouth, he continued on his way up to his room.

He threw off his school uniform, exchanging them for a comfortable raglan tee and boxer briefs. His exhausted body curled up in a too soft bed, the silk sheets and downy comforter hugging his limbs in a plush cocoon of sorts. Sometimes he feels like if he laid here long enough, it would just swallow him completely, never to be seen again. And sometimes he wished it did. 

He can’t remember the last time he didn’t feel so...listless and empty. Ever since his mother got remarried, she became obsessed with their image as an upper class family, to the point it twisted her into something ugly and unrecognizable. He supposes she was still bitter from her last marriage and was desperate to prove that she could fare just fine, perfect even, without his father. 

The same extended to Akira as well. While before he was already a diligent student with above average grades, his mother was not satisfied. He needed to be better. Better than anyone else...better than _Ren_.

And so he did. For the next four years, he spent countless sleepless nights studying, sacrificing everything he found enjoyment in for the sake of his grades, isolating himself from the ones he called friends if his mother showed the slightest disapproval. And even then it wasn’t enough. It never was for her. Just when Akira thought he peaked, his mother would just set the bar even higher. 

Being in first place was everything. Being in second was not an option. It was for his own good, he was told. To get into a good university and get a good job. 

He knew deep down that it was all a lie to keep him complacent. He remembers all the fancy dinner parties he was forced to attend, forced to smile and be polite while his mother flaunted his achievements to all their pretentious high class guests. 

He was a trophy child. Nothing more. Nothing less. He’s long accepted that.

Part of him wanted to cry...but he’s long convinced himself that he’s wasted the last of his tears on Ren when they were first separated. But also...

“ _Why are you crying? Is this your way of getting attention?_ ” His mother’s voice echoed in his head.

He pulled the covers over his head, trying to force himself to fall asleep faster so he could just _stop feeling this way_.

He’ll have to remind himself to leave his cellphone off at all times from now on.

* * *

Two days later after that argument, he has taken to studying in the library more often. This was technically what his mother wanted from him, but to him this was just an excuse for him to not go home. Yusuke didn’t stay in the art room today, and Madarame didn’t allow Akira at the studio anymore...seeing him as a distraction to Yusuke’s work.

Akira tiredly rubs his eyes as he stares into the textbook, the pages in front of him seeming like a meaningless cacophony of words a long time ago. It was probably a good sign that he needed to take a break...

His eyes dart around the room in search of something new to look at. A movement from the corner of his eyes averted them towards the window. It was a nice day out...an expansive stretch of blue as far as the eye can see with not a single cloud in sight. Summer was truly coming around the corner. 

A movement caught his attention again. He swears he could see a blue-eyed, black and white cat peeking at him through the window. He turns his attention back to his homework for a moment, waving it off as a figment of his imagination. 

“Hey, isn’t that the honor student?” a hushed whisper came from across the room.

Akira internally rolled his eyes, but it wasn’t like this was anything new. He supposes his status as Kosei’s honor student was nothing to sneeze at. But he just wishes people wouldn’t make such a big deal out of it. 

“He’s cute! And smart too? He’s almost perfect!” 

“Don’t get your hopes up, Hitomi. He never talks to anyone.” The other girl said, “I guess he thinks he’s too good for the rest of us.” 

“Really?” 

“All he ever does is studies. It’s almost like he’s a robot.” 

Akira’s grip on his pen tightened, quietly seething in anger. It wasn’t like he chose to be like this. Those girls don’t know anything. Nobody here did. Nobody ever saw the glass cage Akira was trapped in, only able to look out to the world he desperately wanted to be a part of. How badly he wanted to shatter the walls of his prison without the chains of expectations and appearances choking the life out of him. 

He was tired...he was so tired.

* * *

A few hours later, when he had decided it was time to pack up and head to cram school, his brother was waiting for him by the gate, the Shujin uniform sticking out like a sore thumb in the sea of navy blue blazers. Just how long had he been waiting there?

Akira tried to walk right past him, hoping he’d get the message and leave him alone. But if one thing about Ren hadn’t changed, he was stubborn and persistent. 

He made it a few blocks down before he realized Ren was following him, walking briskly to keep up with his pace. Before long, Ren was walking right beside him and Akira couldn’t ignore him any longer.

“What are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay away from me.”

“What? I can’t come and see how my big brother is doing?” Ren asked, a cheeky smile never leaving his face, “At least pretend you’re happy to see me.” 

“I’m not.” Akira scowls, “And what part of ‘I want nothing to do to you’ does my dumb little brother not understand.” 

Ren laughs, “Aww, you called me dumb. There’s the Akira I know.” 

Akira eyed Ren suspiciously. He knows that impish look when he sees it. “You need something from me.”

“Well yeah, that too.” Ren replied, “You’re friends with Kitagawa, yeah?” 

“How could you possibly know that?” Akira asked, “Have you been stalking me?” 

“Oh, _I_ wasn’t the one stalking you.” 

Just as those words left Ren’s mouth, Morgana poked his little head out of his bag.

Akira raised an eyebrow, “You got your cat to spy on me?” 

“I’m not a cat!” Morgana corrected him.

“Sorry. You got your Not-a-Cat to spy on me?” Akira said again without missing a beat. 

“That’s not the point. You’re close with Kitagawa.”

“Something like that…” Akira replied, his hands absentmindedly gripping at the strap of his messenger bag, “What’s it to you?”

“Then can you tell me about his situation with Madarame?” Ren asked, in the most sincere voice Akira’s ever heard from him, “It would really help us.” 

“Why don’t you ask him yourself if you’re so worried?” 

“Well, we tried that when we came with Ann to model for him…then he got angry and threatened to call the cops on us.” Ren explained sheepishly, “And now he’s demanding that Ann model nude for him…and I don’t exactly wanna force her to do that.” 

Akira felt a sting shoot through his chest. He vaguely recalled the girl, the blue eyes and giant blond pigtails...she was pretty, certainly. He could imagine why Yusuke wanted to paint her. But the thought of him wanting to paint her _nude_ …

Akira barely met the girl and he immediately decided that he did not like her.

“No, I don’t know anything. And even if I did, I am under no obligation to help you.” Akira replied, his tone cold as ice. “Now leave me alone.” 

“Aww come on, Aki. Can we at least hang out for a bit?” Ren asked with that cutesy pout that Akira always fell for when they were younger. Damn him.

“Can’t. I have cram school.” 

“Another time then?” 

“Ren! Did you not hear me the first time? I’m not supposed to have any sort of contact with you.” Akira said, “Mom will have my head if she found out I was speaking to you.” 

“And you’re gonna listen? Since when were you a pushover goody-two-shoes?” 

“It’s been four years, Ren. People change.” 

“I doubt that.” Ren said, “Did something happen with Mom? You can tell me about it.” 

Goddamn him. Akira wasn’t sure if it was some bullshit twin telepathy thing or if Ren was just really that perceptive. He supposes once upon a time, Ren was the only person that ever understood him and even right now, all Akira wants is to just pour his heart out to him like he used to.

But as soon as he opened his mouth to say something, his mother’s face flashed through his mind.

“It’s nothing you should concern yourself with. I’m doing just fine without you.” 

Despite how unapologetically callous it came out, Akira felt his stomach roll as those words left his mouth, made even worse with the stunned look on Ren’s face. 

The anxiety was lurking in the bottom of his gut again, slowly creeping up into his mind just waiting to consume him whole. 

With his mind clouded with panic, all Akira could think to do was run.

* * *

The next time Akira saw Yusuke in the art room, the artist had shown up to school with an ugly purple bruise on his cheek.

He knows Yusuke will make up some bullshit about falling down the stairs or something and he’s probably told that to everyone else who asked, so right off that bat, he makes sure Yusuke knows that he knows who did this to him. 

“What did he do to you?” Akira asks, his calm demeanor barely concealing his seething rage.

“It’s nothing you should worry yourself with, Akira-kun.” Yusuke tried to assure him, his pained expression betraying the words coming out of his mouth.

“But it is my concern! You’re my friend, Yusuke!” 

Yusuke doesn’t meet Akira’s eyes, “He...he wasn’t satisfied with the piece I made...that’s all.” 

“ _That’s all?!_ ” Akira felt his blood boil, but he refused to let his anger get the better of him. Not in front of Yusuke.

“This happens very rarely. He just happens to be in one of his moods.” 

“That’s no excuse to hurt you!” Akira argued, feeling the white hot rage in his chest begin to boil over, despite his restraint, “Just where is the line for you?! How much does he have to take from you until it’s enough?! Open your fucking eyes, for fuck’s sake, Yusuke!” 

A few moments passed as slowly, Akira started to come to his senses, his heart stinging at Yusuke’s stunned expression, “Sorry, I...I just don’t want to see you hurt anymore, Yusuke.” 

“I appreciate the concern, but I can’t let you get caught up in my problems. I can’t imagine what Sensei would do to you if you tried.”

Akira grabbed Yusuke by the shoulders, perhaps a little too roughly for either of their likings, “No! Don’t you fucking dare push me away like this, Yusuke! I know you’re scared, but let me help you. I can help you!” 

“You. Can’t.” Yusuke immediately shut him down, callously pushing Akira off of him, “This isn’t something I’m debating with you, Akira-kun.” 

Silence fell over to two, with thickening tension filling the space between them. Akira opened his mouth, but couldn’t find anything to say that would convince Yusuke. 

“Perhaps it is best if we just...end our friendship here. I’m sorry, Akira-kun.” 

No...No no no no no nononono.

The next thing he could process was Yusuke’s back turned on him, drifting further and further away from him. Akira tried to will his legs to run after him, but he found that they seemed to be replaced with lead weights. He could only helplessly watch as Yusuke walked away from him, not even looking back once. 

“Yusuke!” Akira desperately called out after him, “Wait...YUSUKE!” 

Just when he thought he wasted the last of his tears four years ago, he suddenly found them again, soundlessly streaming down his face and falling to the ground. He curled up on the ground as broken sobs wracked his throat. As much as he hated to admit it, Yusuke was right. There was nothing he could do to help Yusuke. How can he? He couldn’t even help himself, relegating himself to an obedient puppet who can only bend to his mother’s will, too afraid to stand up for himself.

God, he was such a coward. 

* * *

Akira was absolutely miserable for the rest of the week, putting it mildly.

He didn’t even notice the time passing with how numb he felt. Whenever someone spoke to him, it was just white noise to him, but he barely managed to carry a conversation with the predetermined script he’s long since written out in his head. 

But he found solace in the numbness. He supposes it was much more preferable than being constantly weighed down by the guilt and loneliness in his chest. Yusuke’s absence in his daily life left a void in his heart. 

One bright Sunday morning, Akira was curled up comfortably on the couch with a book in hand, taking a moment to relish in his brief moment of quiet and leisure. It was a luxury to him these days. Akira distracted his mind with reading when he wasn’t throwing himself in his studies. He was just so engrossed in it, he sort of lost touch with reality for a while, instead immersing himself in the world the author created. The book was a collection of short stories by Maurice Leblanc, detailing the exploits of his iconic phantom thief, Arsène Lupin. The titular hero reminded him too much of Ren. The classy gentleman thief with a flair for the dramatics who steals from criminals worse than him. He supposes it was fitting for him to be Ren’s other self.

Sighing, he set the book on the coffee table, instead picking up his mug of milk tea for a sip. It’s gone cold a long time ago. 

A loud thud coming from the basement alerted him and he wasted no time rushing down there. 

Hisako was struggling to move a few bulky garden tables upstairs. Ah, right. His stepfather just landed a huge business deal with a partnering company and his mother wanted to celebrate with a garden party. He was told it was supposed to be a casual affair, but he dreaded having to smile and put on the good boy act around a bunch of stuffy adults that had their heads up their own asses. Already in his head, he was thinking of potential escape routes around the house where he can sneak off without notice.

“Here, Hisako-san, let me help.” Akira grabbed the table from her, hauling it with much more ease than she had. 

“You’re too kind, Dear, but I can handle myself.” Hisako scolded him playfully, “Besides, your mother would not take kindly to you doing the housekeeper’s work.” 

“Oh, she can just shove it.” Akira says, rolling his eyes, “I’d feel even worse if you threw out your back for her stupid party. Take it easy, alright?” 

Akira spent the rest of the morning arranging the tables in the perfectly manicured yard according to Hisako’s directions. Now that the hard labor was over with, Hisako can focus on decorating the tables for the guests. 

“Akira-kun, forgive me for being so bold, but have you considered leaving?” Hisako asked out of the blue.

Akira cocks his head to the side curiously, “What do you mean?” 

“Don’t think I don’t notice. Every minute you’re in this house, you look like you want to die.” Hisako looks around the big spacious house wistfully, “I’ve been the housekeeper for years and most people look at this house and think of luxury. You’re the first person to look at this place like a prison.” 

“It’s not just the house...it’s the people in it too.” Akira murmured, “Oh, but I do not mean you and Tanaka-san, of course!” 

“Oh you flatter me, Boy.” Hisako giggled coyishly, gently smacking Akira on the shoulder.

Akira laughs, “It’s the truth, Hisako-san! Besides, it's not like I can leave. My mother would never let me and...this place is all I have.”

"Hmm, I wouldn't say that's entirely true...you have a twin brother, don't you?" 

"We've...grown distant." Akira sighed, "Besides, you heard what Mother said, I'm not allowed to have any contact with him."

"That doesn't mean you can't reconnect. It's never too late to do so." Hisako said gently, "Akira-kun, I think it's high time you decide what to do with your life, instead of letting someone else dictate it for you." 

"What's this all of a sudden? It's not like you to give me life advice, especially if it's telling me to literally disobey your employers." 

“I know it's out of place, but I feel you need to hear it from someone. Since you’ve stepped foot into this house four years ago, I’ve noticed something peculiar about you.” Hisako said, “You have a fire inside you, just begging to be let free. Don’t let anyone extinguish it. Not even your mother.” 

For the first time in a while, Akira smiled from the bottom of his heart. They hadn’t been together for very long, but he can say without a doubt that Hisako was one of his most trusted confidants. Someone he could be honest around without fear of being judged. Dare he say it, she acted more like the mother figure Akira wanted from his actual mother. And in turn, she treated the boy like a son. 

“Now could you go back down into the basement and get the candles and tablecloths up on that shelf? You know, the ones your mother likes.” 

“Of course.” Akira made his way back down again. His eyes scanned the piles of miscellaneous junk until they found the aforementioned box of table decorations on the topmost shelf. He strains on his tiptoes to be able to reach it, barely managing to knock it off before he caught it in his arms.

“Oh no!” He whispered under his breath as something else fell to the floor. Setting the box down for a moment, he bent down to pick up whatever he had dropped. 

There were five envelopes, unopened and probably years old from how worn and yellowed the paper was. Each of them was addressed to him from a Ren Amamiya in Inaba. 

Oh...

Oh, he was a fucking dick.

His hands trembled as he held the letters. He almost wanted to laugh in hysterics. For years, he wanted to be mad at Ren. He even wanted to blame Ren for abandoning him when he needed him the most. And perhaps that was the reason why it was somewhat easier to distance himself from his brother.

But he knew logically that none of it was Ren’s fault. Ren loved him and still thought about him in his absence...and the proof was right here in his hands. Then Akira went and shot down every attempt to reconnect all because of a twisted sense of abandonment that didn’t exist. 

For years, Akira thought Ren had cut him off completely. He was aware of the inferiority complex Ren had. That little voice of doubt in his head told him that Ren wanted him gone, so he didn’t have to live in Akira’s shadow anymore. And for a while, Akira believed it. So in turn, he convinced himself that he was just fine without Ren. But in all that time, one thought rang through his mind. The truth that Akira desperately tried to bury in the depths of his subconscious: He missed Ren. They were twins after all. They were each other’s best friend from the day they were brought into the world together. They spent their whole lives doing everything together up until the divorce separated them. 

Akira felt a warmth in his chest. One that he hasn’t felt in a long time. 

This was _her_ fault. It was her fault for pitting him against his brother and any potential friends he could’ve had, just so she could create her version of Akira that wasn’t even real. It was her fault for making him believe that Ren abandoned him. 

“Akira, come upstairs. I need you to come with me to run errands.” His mother called for him. 

“Coming!” Akira answered in the most unassuming tone he could muster, tucking the letters into his shirt. 

* * *

Ren was met with quite the surprise when he found Akira outside the gates of Shujin Academy. 

“Akira, what are you一” 

Akira cut him off, “We need to talk. Where are your friends?” 

Ren pulled out his phone, looking rather perplexed at this brother’s odd behavior. But nevertheless, he offered, “I can call them over if you want.” 

The older brother sighed in relief, assured to know that Ren was still willing to help him. “Good.” 

“Whoa, there’s two of them…” The passing students of Shujin whispered amongst themselves, looking over at the twins like they were some shiny new toy, “The transfer student has a twin? He’s got a Kosei uniform!” 

“It’s...probably best we don’t talk here, though.” Ren said awkwardly, “Come. We have a hideout.”

* * *

“This is your hideout?” Akira asked, noting just how crowded the Teikyu building accessway was. It was typical for a place in the heart of Shibuya. “You would think as phantom thieves, you would pick somewhere more discreet.” 

“It was the school rooftop at first, but the student council president kicked us out.” Ren explained sheepishly. “It’s fine. Everyone minds their own business here. They wouldn’t eavesdrop on our conversations anyway.” 

“Ren, we got your message! Was there something you needed?” Ann’s voice rang over the buzz of the Shibuya crowds. She stopped in her tracks, her blue eyes widening at the sight of Akira, “Kurusu-kun!?” 

“Akira.” Akira corrected her, “Just Akira is fine, Takamaki-san.” 

“First you say you want nothing to do with us, now you need us?” Ryuji asked, “Make up your damn mind.” 

“Shut it, Blondie.” Akira shot right back at him, “I’ll tell you what I know about Madarame.”

“For real?! Why the hell did you wait until now? We could’ve taken care of the son of a bitch much sooner.” 

“Do not misunderstand me, though. I’m not doing this as a favor to you.”

“It’s for Yusuke’s sake, isn’t it?” Ren asked.

“Yes.” Akira confirmed, “I hate watching him suffer at the hands of that bastard while I’m helpless to do anything...he’s my best friend.” 

“I understand.” Ren smiled softly, with no hint of resentment, “Anyway, tell us what you know. Anything down to the smallest detail helps.”

“I knew about the plagiarism ever since I knew Yusuke. Yusuke tried to tell me he was just helping Madarame through a slump but...he’s been doing this for years to his other students. I’m sure an art block can’t last that long…” 

“It lines up with the evidence we found at his Palace.” Morgana muses, “Continue.” 

“I heard little bits and pieces when Yusuke would let it slip. Madarame would make his students slave away on a canvas for entire nights on end and make them sleep on the floor in one cramped room just because he couldn’t be bothered to get them futons at least. He wouldn’t even let Yusuke eat most of the time. Said some bullshit about overindulgence being a distraction to his work. That’s why I stop by the atelier everyday to feed Yusuke.” Akira explained, “I suspect it might’ve escalated to physical abuse too. Yusuke showed up to school the other day with a huge bruise on his face.” 

“That’s horrible!” Ann gasped, completely horrified by the extent of Madarame’s crimes being laid out for them. Ren and Ryuji look equally disgusted. 

Akira adds one more piece of information, “I suggest contacting Natsuhiko Nakanohara if you want to confirm these facts. He was the last of Madarame’s students to leave.” 

“We’ll do that. Thank you, Aki.” 

“Alright, we got the info we wanted. What do you say, guys? Should we have another crack at the guy’s Palace?” 

“Not yet, Ryuji. I want to contact Nakanohara to confirm these for sure.” Ren said, shaking his head, “Give it two days. I’ll ask Mishima to put me in contact with him.” 

Ryuji groaned, “Ugh..how much info could you guys possibly need?” 

“It doesn’t hurt to take precautions, Ryuji. We can’t afford to be reckless.” Morgana chided him, “Are you just a boulder that rolls down any hill it’s on? Wait no, even a boulder has more sense.” 

“What was that, you mangy little fleabag?” 

“Palace…?” Akira asked,”You’re going into that strange place again?” 

“Well yeah, it’s the only way we can actually do anything about Madarame’s crimes...” Ryuji said, “Why do you ask?” 

Akira hesitates for a moment, before looking back at the thieves with a determined gaze. Ren couldn’t help but feel giddy when he saw that familiar spark of defiance in Akira’s eyes. Now this was the brother he knew and loved.

The real Akira wasn’t completely gone after all.

“I’m coming with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another chapter is done!  
> tbh I'm not too happy with the pacing, but I was dead set on having this be a short story so I kinda felt I have to get action going right off the bat. 
> 
> I kinda imagined Akira's family to be like the rich family from Parasite, so that was the image I was kind of going for when writing their scenes lol.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to everyone who caught the Sothis reference in the previous chapter. Since Sothis and Morgana are both voiced by Cassandra Lee, I thought it'd be a fun little joke to throw in lmao

The Phantom Thieves all stared at Akira in complete bewilderment.

“What? Why?” Ann asked.

“If this…palace is the manifestation of Madarame’s heart and stealing his treasure will save Yusuke, then I have to do something!” 

“No. Aki, I can’t let you do that.” 

“Why not?! That last time caught me off guard. I can handle myself better in a fight if I’m prepared!” Akira insisted.

“The enemies we fight in there are way beyond human capabilities. We have Personas to protect us but you don’t.” Ren said, “Aki, please. I’m only thinking of your safety.” 

“Ren, I am not some helpless child! Just let me help Yusuke, please!” Akira begged his brother.

Ren pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration. “God, and usually you’re supposed to be the responsible one…”

He honestly should've expected this though. As vastly different as they were, one of the few things they had in common was their stubbornness, neither one letting up until they got their way. And that made it much harder to argue. “Aki, I’m putting my foot down: No.”

“But—“

“I know you want to help Yusuke and you still can...just be there for him. He’ll need some kind of support from someone.” 

“That’s not helping!” Akira felt that familiar burst of anger in his chest, “I’ve been doing that this whole goddamn time! Being there for him has never fucking fixed his situation.”

“It’s the most you can do. Please, Aki. I promise we will save Yusuke for you.” 

“...Fine. But once you’re through, don’t talk to me again.”

With that, he turns around and storms off in a huff. A rather childish reaction, he’ll admit. Just when he forgives Ren for one thing, he gets mad at him again for another thing. Actually, he doesn’t even know if he was more mad at Ren or himself. It seems that their roles had reversed at some point during the four years they were separated, with Ren becoming the mature level-headed one while Akira became more childish and impulsive. Such a bitter irony almost made Akira want to laugh.

He hates this. He hates himself for not being able to truly help Yusuke. He hates himself for being so spiteful and petty towards Ren. He hates himself for constantly sabotaging himself like thi

He hates being so damn useless all the time.

* * *

That same night, Akira immediately came home and curled up under the covers for hours, just so he can shut out the rest of the world to wallow in his guilt and self-loathing. Not even the numbing void he usually found comfort in could alleviate it.

He was sure in the next coming days, Ren and his ragtag gang of misfits will be going into the Palace and change Madarame’s heart themselves. And he would have no part in it. He was nothing but a mere bystander, relying on others to solve the problem for him. He wouldn’t have done anything for Yusuke in the end. 

It was a selfish thought. Yusuke deserved to be rescued from Madarame’s clutches either way, whether Akira was involved or not. But for once, he wanted to do _something_ for Yusuke, instead of watching him crack more and more by each passing day, with only a matter of time before he shatters completely. But of course Akira’s reality isn’t always so kind. He was powerless in his own right, trapped in his own circumstances with no way out in sight. No wonder why Yusuke pushed him away.

There was a faint knock at the door, pulling Akira from his thoughts. “Akira-kun, dinner’s ready.” Hisako’s voice called out.

“I’m not hungry, Hisako-san.” 

Thankfully she does not push the issue any further, but instead senses something was wrong and gives him space. “Alright, I’ll wrap it up and keep it in the fridge for later.” 

He heard Hisako’s footsteps padding away until they faded completely out of existence. 

He reached for his phone buried under his pillow, squinting when he was greeted with a blindingly bright screen in the darkness of the covers. He spent a little while wearily scrolling through his Instagram feed (which of course was monitored by his mother), giving likes on one innocuous cat video after another, as if that would make him feel any better. 

He hears a strange chirp, with a notification that an app was done installing. Akira shifted back to his home screen to find that a new icon had made its way on it. A red square with an ominous black eye in the center. 

What the…? He didn’t recall downloading that. Was this a virus of some sort? 

“Metaverse Navigator...?” 

Against his better judgement, he opens the app anyway. Besides the creepy red and black user interface, it seemed like a relatively normal app, with a map and microphone input. 

He checks the history. To his surprise, there was one entry already in there.

“ _Ichiryusai Madarame. Shack. Museum._ ”

“No way…”

Just out of curiosity, he attempts to enter the previous location, only to be met with an automated voice telling him “Target too far to begin navigation. Please reduce distance to target.” 

Akira felt his heart pounding in his ears as the pieces in his brain clicked together. This must be how the Phantom Thieves went into that other world. And if he now has the app then...he can access it too. And Ren can’t even stop him. It was as if the gods themselves were answering him, granting him a chance to save the one most dear to him.

For the first time in a long time, Akira dozed off to sleep that night with a smile on his face.

* * *

“You’re leaving?” 

“Yes, your father has important business to attend to in Osaka.” His mother said, not once looking up from the suitcase she was packing, “I am accompanying him for a few days.” 

“Oh, I see…” Akira said, trying his best to sound disappointed. 

He tried to suppress a smile from forming on his face. This turn of events couldn’t have been any more convenient. His stepfather being absent on business trips wasn’t a rare occurrence. What was rare was Akira's mother going with him. 

His parents left early the next morning, just as Akira was getting ready for school. He had made his own preparations the previous night as well: a replica tanto blade he nabbed from his stepfather’s office decor, a lighter, and a few homemade pipe bombs he crafted out of soda cans, duct tape, and a mixture of weed killer and sugar. Who knew all the useless knowledge he studied in chemistry could somewhat have a use to him? 

“Hisako-san, please make sure Akira is on his best behavior while we’re gone.” His mother ordered, her dark eyes glaring out of the crack in the car window.

The housekeeper bowed her head, “Of course, Madam.”

Akira resisted the urge to roll his eyes. As if they don’t saddle her enough with the cooking and housework, they expect her to babysit a whole-ass sixteen year old too?

But at least he can relax for the first time in a long while. He knows Hisako won’t enforce the strict curfews and rigid studying schedules. Unlike a certain someone, she values his freedom. 

Perfect opportunity to sneak off into the Metaverse.

“Well, I’m off to school.” Akira said, “I might be home a little late, though. I have some personal business to take care of.” 

“That’s fine, Dear. Just as long as you come back safe, I have no issue.” 

Akira headed to school with a skip in his step and a warm flutter of excitement in his heart.

* * *

The end of the day could not come fast enough. Akira was anxious all day and he hoped it didn’t show on his face. Not only because of the anticipation of going into a Palace on his own, but the fear of someone discovering his homemade arsenal stuffed into his school bag. He had no clue how he was gonna explain that away, let alone to his mother when they inevitably call her.

Thankfully, it never came to that. He was an honor student, after all, and he constructed that mask carefully over the years. No one suspected a single thing.

Akira found himself in front of Madarame’s shack once school was over. Ren and the others weren’t here, so it was safe to assume either they were already in there or they decided not to go in today. 

Holding his breath, he opened the Meta-Nav and hit enter on Madarame’s Palace. Before his eyes, the world swirled and warped around him. He closed his eyes, as if in an attempt to alleviate the uneasy feeling of vertigo. 

When he opened them again, it was dark. Except for the dazzling golden building in front of him.

Akira could feel his own heartbeat ringing in his ears at the sight. He was in! 

He sees Ren and his friends already starting to make their way inside, dressed in those strange costumes and masks. Oh right, Akira forgot to ask about those. 

Akira trails after them, noticing how his agility and reflexes were much more graceful and skilled, effortlessly pulling off difficult maneuvers even though he has no experience in parkour in the real world. He supposes he can chalk it up to how the laws of the Metaverse worked. 

They didn’t seem to notice his presence whilst exploring through most of the Palace, which was surprising because Akira thought he wasn’t being that stealthy. He kept his distance, being one step behind them as they continued further into the depths of the Palace and fought the Shadows that guarded it. Akira finds himself quietly observing these battles from the sidelines, making note of the different kinds of Shadows and what kinds of attacks they were weak to, committing all the information to memory. 

Even more curious to him, Akira observed that Ren would sometimes would spare the Shadow once they were down, instead offering them a chance to deflect to his side. And when they accepted, Ren gained a new mask to use. Akira would notice the way Ren would effortlessly switch out Personas accordingly, while his teammates seemed to be able to only use one. He could only assume that this ability was unique to Ren, in that case…

They were well into the second exhibition room, when a shiny golden vase caught Morgana’s eyes. Without a second thought, the little cat jumped for it, accidentally setting off an alarming amount of lasers. He, Ann, and Ryuji were trapped with no means of escape without tripping the lasers, leaving it up to Ren to free them. Akira couldn't help but be amused by the entire situation, considering earlier Morgana was the one chiding Ryuji not to touch anything. 

He notices a control room just outside of the exhibition hall, assuming that’s where the lasers were controlled. The door was unlocked too, with a lone Shadow guard inside messing with a control panel. Swiftly, he crouched near the door and slipped inside. The Shadow was immediately alerted by his presence but before it could react, Akira charged towards it with his short sword in hand. He wasted no time plunging the blade into the Shadow’s chest. He feels how easily it pierced into it, as if the blade was an extension of his touch. He didn’t even spare a single second for the Shadow to beg for its life, instead stabbing it repeatedly and savagely until it dissipated into black smoke. 

Akira’s lungs were heaving for breath as the euphoria wore off. He can’t believe he just did that...and it felt _so_ incredibly good. He panicked when he confronted the Shadow, forgetting that he wasn’t wielding a weapon that could actually do any harm. Though, he was a little surprised that this replica weapon behaved like the real thing, but he remembers Morgana explaining to him that this world was formed through cognition, so Akira figured this might be a case of the mind making it real. 

He turned his attention back to the control terminal. It seemed like the Shadow was in the midst of changing the password to the laser controls, as the old one was already typed into the prompt. Well then, this was convenient…

In the new password prompt, he types in a random string of numbers only he could remember, then finalized the changes. He inputs his new password and just like that, he now has complete control over the laser system. He glances at the security feed on the other monitor and sees that Ren had already freed Ann and Ryuji, while Morgana was still stuck in the center. He supposes he can make things a little easier on them then.

With a push of a button, Akira deactivated the lasers, freeing Morgana from the trap. 

He quickly slips out of the room, taking cover around the corner as the Phantom Thieves were occupied with fighting the strange new Shadow they had just encountered. 

“That was weird. The lasers deactivated by themselves.” Ann said, once that battle was dealt with.

Ryuji scratched his head in confusion. “Yeah, do you think maybe their security system is outdated or something?” 

“It can’t be that.” Morgana said. “This is a Palace, after all. I don’t think a security system would shut itself off like that.” 

“I wonder if…” 

“If what, Joker?” 

Ren shook his head, “Never mind. All that matters now is that we got Mona out. Let’s keep moving.” 

They continue onto the next hall and Akira quietly follows. The way was blocked off with lasers, but there was a cutout in the wall that they could climb over. Akira waited until he heard the commotion of another battle in the other room before he too jumped up on the ledge, staying there crouching as the fight continued. The next room had a massive hole in the floor, but judging how the others were able to stand on it, it seemed that it was part of an optical illusion installation. 

Though the fight was swiftly taken care of, one of the Shadows managed to flee, much to the thieves’ chagrin. But there wasn’t much they could do about it now. 

Akira stood to follow, momentarily forgetting he was hiding on top of a high ledge. He lost his footing and slipped, sending himself tumbling onto the floor below.

“Shit!” 

The alerted Phantom Thieves swiftly turned, readying their weapons in preparation for another fight. Instead they were met with a reckless and dumb high school boy. 

“Akira-kun?!”

“Shit, I knew we were being followed!” 

“Akira, I thought I told you to not to come.” Ren said, his tone almost scolding. The nerve of this guy...

The older brother frowned, “Oh I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware that you were the boss of me.”

“How did you even get in here? We were sure you weren’t nearby when we activated the Nav…”

“There was this weird app that appeared on my phone the other day.” Akira said, showing the thieves his phone, “So I came here to test it out and ended up here.”

“An app…?” Ren sighed in exhasperation as the realization set in, “Aw, fuck you got the Nav too.”

“What will we do, Joker?” Morgana asked. 

Ren hesitates for a moment, before letting out another sigh in defeat, “I guess we’ll take him with us.”

“For real!?” 

Ren shook his head, “Even if I tell him to get out, he has the means to go back in. Plus I think it’d be more dangerous for him if we left him alone.”

“I mean, it is quite impressive that he made it this far on his own even without a Persona.” Ann comments.

“I’ve said before, I am much better in a fight if I’m prepared.” Akira said, brandishing his tanto sword. 

“And you brought your school bag in like a dork.” Ryuji snickered at him. 

“Well yeah, where else would I keep these?” Akira asked, showing them the homemade bombs stuffed inside along with the school books. 

Ryuji’s eyes widened under the mask, “Holy shit, when you said prepared, you meant _prepared_.” 

“In that case, you should be fine if you stay with us.” Morgana said, “You seem to be quite resourceful yourself if you were able to make it this far.”

Akira laughs, gesturing towards Ren, “Where do you think this guy gets it from? I was the brains behind all of our schemes back in the day.” 

“Hey, as much as I’d love to reminisce about the old days, aren’t we forgetting we have a Palace to infiltrate?” Ren signaled for the team to follow, “Just stay close, and don’t do anything stupid.” he says specifically to Akira. 

The vacant look in Ren’s eyes didn’t go unnoticed by the others, but now wasn’t the time to bring it up. 

The next room was another hall filled with portraits, which honestly, Akira was getting sick of looking at them. He had seen Yusuke’s portrait earlier and felt his stomach churning and his heart aching for his best friend. The proof was in front of his eyes: Madarame saw Yusuke as nothing more than an object. Less than that, maybe. Just an obedient machine that churns out art until his last breath.

But this will soon be over and that thought acted as balm to Akira’s mind. Once Madarame’s heart was changed, Yusuke can be free and he and Akira can go back to the way they were. 

As soon as they walked in, an electric barricade activated behind them. 

“Intruders in the Second Exhibition Room! Apprehend them at once!” a distorted voice announced from the grainy loudspeakers. 

Just then, three Shadows spawned into the room: two normal once and one with an ominous red aura. The first two were dispatched without much effort and lots of bullets. 

Ren saved the red one for last, ambushing it by tearing off its mask. 

The thieves braced themselves for whatever tough monster they have to fight this time...only to be greeted with four of the same weak little bird demons.

Ren cackles in amusement, aiming his pistol at them. “Oh, that’s cute.” 

He pulled the trigger only to be met with a bunch of clicks. 

“Guys…?” He sheepishly turned to his team. 

Ryuji shrugged, “Sorry, used up all our bullets in the last fight.” 

“Aki, want your chance to shine?” Ren asked his brother, “I’m out of bullets, see…” 

“Oh, I’m your last resort now?” Rolling his eyes, Akira pulled out one of his bombs and lit the fuse with the lighter. With only seconds to spare before the fuse completely burned out, he hurled it towards the Shadows, watching as it blew them up in a spectacular explosion. 

Akira couldn’t keep himself from cackling in absolute glee, “Woo! It really blew the fuck up!” 

“And that takes care of that.” Ren dusted off his hands, smirking proudly, “Now to get out of here…” 

He stood still for a moment, his face hardened in concentration like he’s looking for something. 

“That portrait over there…” he gestured to a slightly crooked painting on the wall. 

Ann tilted her head quizzically, “What about it?”

“Move it. There’s something behind it.” 

Ryuji and Akira moved to dismount to portrait off the wall to reveal a switch.

“Hiding a switch behind a painting...how stereotypical.” Morgana laments, shaking his head. 

“Who cares about that shit? Just hurry up and press it.” 

“Bossy…” Ren pushed the button, rolling his eyes at Ryuji’s impatience. In an instant, the electric barriers were deactivated, allowing them to continue forward.

Just when they thought this place could get any worse, they were proven severely wrong. The next area they found themselves in was a garden courtyard that led to another building, this one much more bright and gaudy-looking. Akira swears he might just get a headache if he was subjected to looking at this shit for any longer…

As they approached the building, multiple sliding doors opened up their path leading up to a blue peacock door protected by an intricate maze of laser barriers. 

They looked around for an opening, but found none much to their dismay. All there was was a sign reading, “All personnel: this door can only be opened via the security room beyond it. Please be cautious, as this door is impossible to open from the outside.” 

“Well shit...we’re stuck here, huh?” 

“Wait!” Akira points to the intricate decorative door ahead, “That’s the same one in Madarame’s shack.” 

“Are you sure?” Ren asked. 

Akira nodded, “When I was still allowed there to hang out with Yusuke, there was that same door that seemed out of place with the rest of the house. There was a huge padlock on it too…” 

“That’s it!” Morgana exclaimed, “Guys, let’s head back for now.” 

“Why!?” 

“If that door is based on the real-world one that Akira is referring to, then there might be another way to open it.” Morgana explained, “I’ll explain more later. Let’s just go for now.” 

The Phantom Thieves turned to leave, figuring there’s not much else they could do at this point. Besides, they trusted Morgana’s judgement. They approached the exit of the courtyard, only to suddenly be met with a laser barrier blocking the way.

“What!?” 

Before they could process what was going on, a horde of Shadows appeared before them, all with red auras. 

Ann seemed visibly panicked as she realized the potential peril they were all in, “An ambush!?” 

“Damn, that Shadow that got away must’ve alerted its buddies.” Ryuji pulled out his iron pipe. 

They charged in for a fight, but their movements seemed more weary and sluggish. They threw everything they could at their foes, barely putting a dent in them even with their Personas. Of course, they had fought their way in here the entire time and they were on their last legs of energy. It was only a matter of time before they were worn out completely, and that alone was a death sentence for all of them. 

Akira tried his best to aid them, but he only had so many bombs and they could only do so much in incapacitating them. 

They managed to down a few, but it barely thinned out the horde still after them. One summoned a wind attack which downed Ryuji immediately. Ann didn’t stand much of a chance either, as she was critically knocked out by a physical attack. Morgana’s small size meant that he could easily be manhandled by any Shadow that was inclined to. 

Another Shadow came charging at Akira with a baton in hand. Despite every instinct telling him to run, his feet stayed firmly planted into the ground. Fear settled in his gut as the Shadow came closing in on him and he couldn’t do anything but squeeze his eyes shut. 

Instead he feels a slight fluttering of coattails. 

“Ren…!”

Ren strained against the Shadow’s baton, holding it back with his dagger. “What are you doing, Aki!? Get out of the way!” 

Without a second’s hesitation, Akira retreated out of the Shadow’s path, taking cover behind a bush.

With its attention towards Ren now, the Shadow held by the throat, slamming him against a wall with an audible crack.

Ren struggled, but it hardly amounted to much. With his breath being slowly choked out of him, he barely managed to plead to his brother, “Akira...run...please.”

For all his confidence before, Akira was truly pathetic in the end. Ren and his friends were overpowered and he couldn’t do much to help them. His brother was going to die here and all he can do is cower and look on helplessly. 

No...not like this.

Not like this...

“Well well well, what’s this? Are you willing to let things end here with him? When you still hadn’t made amends?” A deep mystical voice rang in his ears, almost in a mocking tone. Akira looks around in an attempt to find the source of the voice, before realizing it was coming from inside his mind. It’s the first time he’s heard it...yet it felt so comfortingly familiar. 

“You can either forsake him, your own flesh and blood, so you can keep pretending to be the perfect little doll your mother wants or if you agree to embrace your true nature, I might be inclined to grant you the power to protect him. I wonder what shall you do?”

Akira laughs bitterly, “You already know my answer, don’t you?”

A dark chuckle came as a reply, “Of course. Let’s make a contract, shall we?”

A sharp, excruciating ache shot through Akira’s head. His mind couldn't process anything other than shrill white noise ringing in his ears. He fell to the ground, writhing and screaming in agony as the voice continued speaking in his head.

“I am thou, thou art I. No longer you shall be a puppet that dances to the whims of others. It is time you shed the mask that has been forced upon you and let your flames of rebellion burn everything that stands in your way!”

Akira felt something on his face, burning with intensity like white hot metal glued to his flesh. A black mask identical to Joker’s. His hands immediately flew up to claw at it, his fingers clumsily slipping off the smooth surface. He had to get it off, he had to. _It burns it burns it BURNS_. 

He gripped the mask tightly and with one painful tug, he violently ripped the bloodied mask right off his flesh.

“Come forth, Raoul!” He shouts as the blue flames engulf his form. Shivers ran down his spine as he felt power coursing through his body. Raoul’s power. 

Despite the potential peril he was in, Ren couldn’t help but let a smirk of triumph form on his face, “I knew it…”

Akira’s Persona took form behind him. A hazy silhouette of a tall man in a red jacket and matching fedora. Strangely, Ren noticed, it looked a little similar to Arsène, minus the wings. 

Akira’s school uniform was no more, the blue flames morphing it into a stylish red waistcoat paired with a loose black tie, red leather gloves, and a red fedora on his head.

Akira stared down the Shadows that were cornering Ren, “Get your fucking hands off my little brother!” he snarled as he snapped his fingers, “Tear them to shreds, Raoul.”

At his master’s command, Raoul completely wiped the floor with the Shadows, nothing like the restrained gentleman Arsène was. Raoul was just as ruthless, but much more shamelessly savage and brutal.

“Ren!” Akira rushed over to his brother’s side, offering his hand to him, “Can you still fight?” 

“Maybe?” Ren said rather jokingly despite himself, “How do I look?” 

“Like shit.” Akira answered in his usual deadpan tone, “Here.” 

With another snap of Akira’s fingers, Raoul casted Diarama on Ren, restoring a bit of his energy. 

“Thanks. And the others?” 

“Hang on, I got you.” Akira grumbled, rolling his eyes, “Raoul, Phantom Show!” 

Raoul conjured up a mysterious blue mist over the remaining Shadows, lulling them all into a deep slumber. “We’ll down them all like this. Hit them with something that’ll knock them all out at the same time.” 

“You don’t have to tell me twice...” Ren said as he summoned Arsène to his side, “Arsène, Maeiga!” 

And just according to strategy, all the Shadows were downed by Arsène’s curse attack, giving the others an opening to escape and rush to the twins’ side.

“Let’s get this over with…” Ren gestured to the Shadows, “All out attack!” 

With that, the battle was over. Black goo spurted all over the stone tile as the thieves sliced them to pieces.

“Phew, that was close…” Ann panted in exhaustion, wiping off the Shadow goo that had landed on her catsuit. 

“Yeah, I really thought we were goners there.” Ryuji sighed. He then turned his attention to Akira, “But more importantly: holy shit…Dude, you had a Persona too?!” 

Akira looked over himself, his hands patting down the new outfit that had formed on his body, “It would seem that way…” he answers nonchalantly. 

Ren placed a hand on Akira’s shoulder, “And you awakened just in time. We would’ve been dead if it weren’t for you.” 

Without thinking, Akira just pulled Ren into his arms, squeezing around him as if he’ll disappear if he didn’t. 

“Uhh, Aki?” 

“Shut up. You almost died.” Akira held his brother tighter, “I was so fucking scared... “ 

Ren just stood there, awkwardly patting Akira’s back. His older brother was never really open with affection, but it felt kind of refreshing to see him being so honest for once.

They relished in the moment for a little while, until Ryuji clearing his throat caught their attention, “Hey, not to ruin your brotherly love moment here or anything, but we better bounce before more of them come back.”

* * *

By the time they burst out of the Palace with more Shadows at their heels, they were absolutely exhausted. Akira even moreso, since he had just awakened his Persona and exerted a lot of his energy from the start. Now he can’t feel most of his body and he wanted nothing more than to take a nap for a million years.

But a trip to Big Bang Burger was fine too.

Ryuji and Ann looked on in total bewilderment as Ren scarfed down like five burgers in one sitting. It was like he was more worn out than his older brother was, and he wasn’t the one who had just awakened his Persona.

“What the fuck, Dude, is your stomach like a black hole or something?” 

“Don’t worry, he’s always been a big eater.” Akira assured them, reaching over to steal a french fry from Ren, “Dad once convinced him if he ate well enough, he’ll grow up faster than me.” 

“I’m still clinging to that hope.” 

Akira snorts, “We have about the same metabolism. Good luck with that.” 

The two brothers seemed to be on friendlier terms now, the others noticed. It was almost as if a Persona awakening had changed something in the older twin. It wasn’t surprising though. A Persona usually provided the user with a surge of confidence. The drive to be able to live as their true, authentic selves. The Akira before them behaved more like the one Ren described to them. The one Ren loves and remembers so dearly. 

“So to get back on track: how are we supposed to get past that door?” Ann asked. 

Morgana grins proudly, “Hehe, this is where I come in!” 

“Please do elaborate.” Akira said, “I didn’t think it was important that I pointed out the door was the same as the one in the real world.” 

“Remember, that shack is the basis for Madarame’s Palace. So if we go in there and open that door in the real world, his cognition will change.” 

“So if we open that door in real life, it opens the one in the Palace, is that correct?” Ren asked, “But even then, there’s still that padlock…” 

Morgana mewls happily, “Leave it to me. Just give me a hairpin and I’ll bust it open in a jiffy! But it might take a while, so we need someone to distract him.” 

“Akira-kun, you’re Kitagawa-kun’s friend, right? You can distract him a bit while Mona picks the lock open.” 

“I’d love to but unfortunately I’m banned indefinitely from that place…” Akira grumbled, absentmindedly chewing on his straw. 

Ryuji grins impishly, “Then I guess we’ll have to resort to...that.” 

Akira raised an eyebrow in suspicion, “Resort to what?”

“Ryuji…” Ren sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

“Ann, you gotta go nude.” 

Akira damn near spat out his soda. “I beg your damn pardon?” 

“What?!” Ann yells, nearly alerting the whole restaurant, “This isn’t funny!” 

Ryuji held up his hands defensively, “Look we’re not saying to actually get naked. We just need to find a way to distract Yusuke long enough to bust that door open.” 

“It’s the only way we can get into the house without raising suspicion.” Morgana said, “Don’t worry, I’ll be there to accompany you.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better…what if I get caught?” 

“Then we can just run into the Palace...or something?” The not-cat sounded a little unsure himself.

“Why can’t one of you guys go nude!?” Ann tried to argue.

Ryuji sighed, “Because it ain’t what he wants.” 

“Then make it so he does!” 

“Oh believe me, I’ve tried...” Akira muttered under his breath.

Ren turned towards his brother, his eyebrows raised, “What?” 

“What?” 

Feeling like there was no way she can worm her way out of this, Ann slammed her hands onto the table, her face turning the same shade as her catsuit in the Metaverse. “Ugh god, fine! I’ll be the bait!”

“We’ll be counting on you, Ann~” Ryuji teases her in a sing-song tone, as if he was enjoying this a bit more than he probably should. 

Akira rolled his eyes, “You’re disgusting…” 

Ren nodded in agreement. 

Ryuji clapped his hands together, completely ignoring the twins' disapproving looks, “Alright, the plan’s all set. Should we call it a day here?” 

“Actually, one more thing.” Akira said, that unwavering determination returning to his gaze, “Let me assist you in changing Madarame’s heart. I just want to be able to save Yusuke and I promise I’ll be out of your way.” 

Ren let out a chuckle, “You’re awfully devoted to Yusuke, aren’t you?” 

“I’ve said before, he’s my friend. Why wouldn’t I be?” 

“Oh, no particular reason.” Ren answered in a mocking tone, as if trying to imply something else, “Well anyway, you’re not gonna listen if I say no. And you have a Persona now, so I don’t see why not.” 

“And who said you can’t join us permanently?” Ryuji asked, “You know who we are and we have a common goal. You’re practically one of us now.” 

Akira felt himself fluster a little, falling back into his meek, polite personality for a second, “I-if you’ll have me…” 

“In that case, we’ll need a code name for you.” Morgana said.

“Code name?” 

“We use code names whilst we’re in the Metaverse. No self-respecting phantom thief uses their real name, after all.” Morgana explained, “Your brother is Joker, Lady Ann is Panther, and I’m Mona.” 

“Huh, interesting…” 

“What about Fedora?” Ryuji suggested.

“Nope.”

“Err...Joker Number 2?”

“Hell no.” Akira immediately shot it down with a deadpan tone.

“Damn, could you have just let me down more gently?” 

“I don’t know Ryuji, could you have thought of better names?” Morgana snarks back, clearly enjoying taking a jab at Ryuji’s expense. “What do you think, Akira? Do you have any ideas?”

Akira thought deeply for a few moments, dozens of words he liked flashing through his mind, yet one was calling to him like a beacon. 

“What about...Jack?” he finally offered.

“Jack?” Ann asked.

“Yeah, I assume Ren is called Joker because of a playing card theme...so I thought Jack would compliment nicely.”

Ann clapped her hands together as Akira’s reasoning became clear to her, “Oh! Like the Jack of Hearts, right?”

“Jack, huh?” Ryuji tested the name on his tongue, “I actually like the sound of that.”

“Aww how cute, you truly are matching twins with Ren!” Ann exclaimed, “Even your masks are the same and your Personas look so similar!” 

Akira laughs sheepishly, not even trying to deny anything anymore, “Guess old habits die hard, huh?” 

Morgana smiled proudly, “Then it’s settled! Welcome to the team, Jack.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Wow three chapters in and Akira has already awakened to his Persona. This is progressing way too fast!" You might be thinking. Yeah...wait. I got more in store for him. Aki's self-discovery isn't quite finished yet. 
> 
> And yeah, Raoul is Akira's Persona. Since you can only get him as DLC I figured he wasn't plot relevant to Ren anyway so I gave him to Akira instead. It gave me a nice excuse to design a nice Raoul-inspired Metaverse outfit for Akira.
> 
> Which by the way, here's Akira as Jack:  
> https://64.media.tumblr.com/fec397aecdcc1e8becdf0ba502a4905b/6cb2bb71dc09d581-fd/s1280x1920/8a2bddabd88b37a3ab8dabf1b5927417c6985aa7.png
> 
> And my tumblr tag for this AU where I stash all my drawings:  
> https://dragon-overlord-yuu.tumblr.com/tagged/twin-au

**Author's Note:**

> I feel kinda bad that the first chapter is relatively short compared to my usual chapter length...but I promise subsequent chapters will be longer. I assume you already know how the Madarame arc plays and I just wanna establish Akira's presence in the first chapter so I don't really feel the need to write the whole Palace exploration out. 
> 
> I plan for this to be a short story focusing on Akira as a character and his relationships with Ren and Yusuke, but I also do have smaller oneshots of this AU planned so please look forward to it
> 
> Also I can't believe Ryuji canonically said "yeet" that shit had been haunting me to this day


End file.
